Binder.



Patented June 25, I901.

E. B. HOUSES.-

BINDER. A umioh filed Aug. 18, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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EDXVARD R. IIODGES, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

BINDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 677,134, dated June 25, 1901.

Application tiled August 18, 1900. Serial No. 27,242. (No model.)

binding and retaining letters, bills, and similar papers, whereby they can be filed and locked in position; and it consists in certain details of construction and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a binder embodying my said invention, the same being in locked condition. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the dotted line 2 2 in Fig. 1, including a key by which the binding mechanism may be released. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. 2 and viewed as indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the locking-levers. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the same on the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the locking mechanism in elevation'on the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 3, the levers thereof being depressed by means of a key.

The covers 1 and 2 are constructed of any suitable material for the purpose,such as cardboard covered with canvas or other material of a stiff nature. Secured to one end of each of the covers are strengthening strips or plates 3 and 4, of metal or other suit-able material. The'posts 5 are fixedly secured in the plate 3 and are adapted to enter perforations in the papers to be filed and also to pass through perforations in the cover 2 and the locking mechanism secured to said cover 2.

The looking or binding mechanism of my device consists of the casing 6, the lockinglevers 7 and 8, the spring binding-plates p, base-plate a, and rivets r ands. Said casing 6 is stamped from any suitable material and is formed to contain and hold in place the va- 5o rious locking parts and is provided with holes fon receiving the posts 5. As shown most plainly in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the levers 7 and 8 are irregularly cut at their meeting ends, as at e, and their opposite ends I) are semicircularly cut to adapt them to receive the posts 5, the points 12 thereof being of sufficient length to project slightly beyond the posts and beneath the ends of the binding-plates These levers are bent upwardly about midway their length, so that their meeting ends e are considerably above the ends which come in contact with the plates 19. Said levers have perforations h,.through which the rivets 1' pass, the said rivets serving to hold the levers in position.

Secured at either end of the plate a by rivetsdor otherwise are the spring binding-plates p, which are made of any suitable spring metal and which are suitably-cut away at their ends to fit snugly against the posts 5 in an inclined position, and which ends rest above and upon the ends of the levers 7 and 8, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6.

The parts are readily and securely assembled by placing them in the position as' indi cated in Fig. 2 and securing them together by means of the rivets 'r and 5.

By means of this construction I secure a binder which is always in locked condition, except when released by means of a key or otherwise. As will be seen in Fig. 2, the binding-platesp, (composed ofspring metal,)being secured to the plate (It in perfectly flat condition and raised at their free ends to rest on the ends of the levers, are at a high tension, and being in contact with the binding-posts 5 are constantly bearing downwardly against the same with a high degree of pressure, and consequently when it is attempted by force to raise the cover 2, carrying the locking mechanism, these binding-plates the more tightly bind or grip said posts. Thereforewhen it is desired to raise this cover 2 the binding plates are released by means of a key 10, which is inserted in the keyhole 9, forced downwardly against the levers, and turned to the right or left, when the bars m on said key are thrown out of register with the key- I hole-slotsv and held in this position between the levers and the casing by the upward.

spring force of said levers. When said key is thus depressed, the levers and binding plates are in the position shown in Fig. 6, and the meeting ends of said levers being thusforced downwardlycauses the ends which are nearest the binding-posts to be forced up- Wardly,which lifts said binding-platesp, thus releasing them from contact with the binding-posts, when the cover 2 can be readily run up off the binding-posts, the key 10 serving as a handle for this purpose. Immediately the key is Withdrawn the levers and binding-bars return to the position shown in Fig.2, and, as will be readily understood, they 7 plates operated by said levers, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with a binder, of a base-plate, locking-levers having irregularlyshaped meeting ends and bifurcated free ends pivoted to said base-plate, bindingplates secured to said base-plate and oper-' ated by said levers, and a casing within which said parts are retained in operative condition, substantially as set forth.

3. In a binder, the combination of the base-plate, levers pivotally secured to said base-plate, said levers having irregularly shaped meeting ends and bifurcated free ends, and binding-plates secured to said baseplate having bifurcated ends resting upon and operated by said levers, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, August 14, 1900.

EDWARD R. HODGES.

Witnesses:

ULYssEs A. JOHNSON, CAREY S. FRYE. 

